EFFECT OF ORAL SENSORIMOTOR TREATMENT ON MEASURES OF GROWTH, EATING EFFICIENCY AND ASPIRATION IN THE DYSPHAGIC CHILD WITH CEREBRAL-PALSY

Twenty-seven children (mean age 5.1 years) with cerebral palsy and mod erate eating impairment were studied to determine frequency of aspirat ion and the effect of 10 and 20 weeks of oral sensorimotor therapy on eating efficiency and measures of growth (weight, skinfold thickness). The eating efficiency of the children did not change markedly in resp onse to oral sensorimotor therapy. Children maintained their centile r ank in weight-for-age and skinfold-for-age measurements. However, ther e was no catch-up growth. The findings suggest that eating efficiency is not a good estimator of treatment outcome, but rather a diagnostic indicator of the severity of eating impairment. Monitoring of these ch ildren's growth is essential in order to provide nutritional rehabilit ation as soon as their eating skills can no longer keep up with growth demands.